The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has said that Judicial Service lands that have been sold were transacted under the John Mahama administration in 2015.
Addressing the press at a news conference in Accra Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the Minister described the allegations as “palpable falsehood”.
He contends the lands were sold under the erstwhile Mahama administration in 2015 before President Akufo-Addo took over according to data available at the Lands Commission.
The allegations of State capture were levelled by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who accused the government of selling State lands to its cronies.
But according to the Minister, the said lands Mr. Ablakwa referred were sold under John Mahama’s administration and not Akufo-Addo.
“The allegation was that the judicial service land was sold under this Akufo-Addo government and that is evidence of state capture but when these allegations are made my attitude is very simple, to put together the record, and assemble the facts before we make any decision.
“When the facts were assembled it turned out that the lands were not sold by under President Akufo-Addo. On the contrary, the land was sold under President Mahama in 2015,” he reemphasised.
Asked whether the government will take the initiative to retrieve the lands, the Minister said “if they were not granted properly and we think that the grant is fraught with fraud or impropriety, why not?
“We will take steps to retrieve them. Always remember that when it comes to land acquisition, when you have a lease or contract and it is governed by law it is not that straightforward to cancel a lease or withdraw a lease but if there is a need for it we will take those steps,” Mr. Jinapor added.
The Minister also asked those making the allegations to provide evidence for action to be taken against the perpetrators.
The Minister says the rule of the game is evidence.
“There is a question about selling public lands to public appointees. The rule of the game is evidence, if anybody has evidence that a public appointee has bought public lands and has done so in a manner that offends the code of ethics of public officers and that the person has put himself in a position of conflict of interest, why not, we will take a look at it.
“For myself, as a general rule, I do not think that public appointees should go anywhere near public lands. I think if you want lands to buy, go and look for lands in the private space not public lands because of the very thin line of conflict of interest, it is very easy for you to cross that line but if you have any evidence that any public officer has bought lands and he has done so inappropriately, we will be happy to look into that,” he stated.
